Variable incidence plane



9 4 AU nu FIPBBOI June 11, 1935: A. c. PETERSON VARIABLE INCIDENCE PLANE Filed July 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. c. PETERSON 2,004,214

VARIABLE INCIDENCE PLANE Filed July 20. 1932 2 sheets sheet 2 ii... x 1 N u d L Q Q w H a I l I I ll \s w Zq' h HLHUNHU l IUD June 11, 1935.

Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to aeroplanes and particularly to a form of aeroplane which has a variable lift by variable incidence wherefor it is called variable incidence plane.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a form of aeroplane which shall be simple in form and construction, cheap in manufacture, reliable in use while having certain characteristics. A principal object of my invention is to provide a form of variable wing incidence plane which shall by reason of that characteristic have high flight speeds while at the same time having low landing speeds. A principal object is to provide these characteristics in a plane which shall be strong and efficient in service while having such characteristics. In general the object is to provide an improved aeroplane form and construction.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views. The principal devices and combinations of devices comprising my invention are as hereinafter described and as defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section on a line drawn transversely through the plane and on the line II of Figure 2, this section showing some parts in full front elevation.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section on the line II--II of Figure 1 this section being on a line extending from front to rear, some parts being shown in full side elevation. A section on the line IIa-IIa of Figure 1 would be substantially similar and therefore is not shown.

Figure 3 is a plan view in reduced size showing the parts in more diagrammatic illustration.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of my device this view showing the device as a bi-plane that is having two wings on each side of the fuselage one above the other, or that is having two main wings one above the other. Since this form is in general similar to that of the other form in the operating features it is only shown diagrammatically by this front elevation.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections of the motors 25 to show that they are reversible motors and controlled in unison.

Referring again to the figures from 1 to 3 both inclusive, the numeral l indicates a main side frame on one side of the fuselage and the numeral 2 indicates the main side frame on the other side of the fuselage. These side frames may be constructed of any metal or material as steel or aluminum and in such girder like forms as will secure the necessary lightness, but they are shown as frames constructed in the form shown of solid section material. They are each substantially as long as the fuselage is long from front to rear of the aeroplane. This fuselage bears at its rear end the stabilizer 3 with its necessary fins for steering and vertical directional control of the aeroplane. This fuselage frame at its sides extends rearwardly a distance beyond the main body of the fuselage for the support of the rear stabilizer 3, the main body having fixed thereto the fuselage covering 4 of steel or aluminum or any material. This fuselage is in its vertical front to rear section substantially across the fuselage of a thick wing section such that it has some lifting ability for the purpose of assisting in the carriage of the load.

The fuselage frames l2 a short distance from the front edge of the fuselage, substantially in that portion at the thickest portion of the fuselage vertically, have on the upper side a curved shape 5 and on the lower side have a curved shape 6,. That is each of these side frames l and 2 have these curved shapes 5 and 6 one on the upper side and the other on the lower side and the pair of such curved shapes one 5 and one 6 of each side frame constitute an upper arc and a lower arc, vertically below, of a circle about a point substantially mid-way in the height of the side frame at that portion where the curved shapes are. Thus these curved shapes 5 and 6 of the two side frames constitute a rotational base circular in form (as to the arcs) which will permit the wing to have the small degree of rotational action about an axis extending horizontally and transversely through the fuselage. The side frames are connected transversely so as to form a rigid assemblage by means of the cross bars or beams 1, 8.

This first form described has one wing and is therefore of the monoplane type. This wing is formed by two main frames which may be called spars or beams one the front spar 9 and the other the rear spar I0. Each of these spars at its central portion, that is in the portion transversely of the plane where the fuselage is located, has a form substantially that of a rectangle and to form this rectangle has respectively upper bars 911 and Illa and lower bars 9b and lllb. These rectangles of the two spars are so placed that the fuselage at the location of the curved shapes 5 and 6 extends through the two rectangles from front to rear, and the portions 90 and I00 of the two spars extend on either side of the fuselage as support for the ribs II and exterior surface coverings 12 of the wing structure.

The so-called spar rectangles or, they may be called spar loops, have fixed within them extending from front to rear of the wing structure upper wing guides I3 which may be formed as shown of angle steel or aluminum, one being above the one side frame and the other above the other side frame. And below the fuselage they have the so-called lower wing guide M which may also be formed of angle steel or aluminum, one being below the one side frame and the other below the other side frame. These guides cooperate to slide over or be held in their locations subject to the small degree rotational wing movement, by complementary guides l5 fixed on the upper side and I6 fixed on the lower side of the curved shaped portions of the side frames l2. As shown the fuselage fixed guides |5-l6 are somewhat longer from front to rear than the wing guides l3-l4, in order that the wing structure may have the necessary small degree of rotational action about its fuselage axis, which degree of rotational action may be say thirty degrees of rotation more or less. This rotation is limited in either direction by the vertical portions l1 and I8 of the side frames which vertical portions or stops are located in front of and in rear of the wing structure at the fuselage. Thus any undue rotational movement which would destroy the balanced lifting characteristics of the plane are prevented. The wing structure at the fuselage portion may have a covering on the upper side of the upper bars of the two rectangles and may have a covering on the lower side of the lower bars of the two rectangles.

Each of the side frames I and 2 has a set of four so-called actuators which will procure the small degree of rotational movement of the wing about its axis. Each of these actuators, of which there are therefore eight in all, has a main shaft I9 on a horizontal axis bearing a spur gear 20 which will cooperate with a related rack 2| in the upper or lower guides l3 or M of the wing structure or rectangles, these racks being also four in number in each side frame or one continuous rack in each upper and each lower guide of each side frame.

The eight main shafts [9 have each fixed thereon inside the related frame I or 2 a worm wheel 22 with each of which a related worm 23 cooperates. The worms 23 are each fixed on a related armature shaft 2 of a related motor 25 of which there are also eight one for each actuator. These motors and their shafts are mounted on the side frames so that by the rotation of their attached worms 23 rotation of the spur gears 20 is secured and the motors may by means of the switch means 26 be caused to operate for rotation of the spur gears 29 in either direction thereby procuring as desired rotation of the spur gears 20 to procure the small degree of rotation of the wing structure in either the clockwise or anticlockwise direction about the axis of the wing structure. Thus according to the positioning of the switch means 26 by the pilot or operator there is procured the forward small degree of rotation or the rearward small degree of rotation necessary to place the wing in the relative angle for high speed movement of the plane or for low speed movement and large carrying capacity of the wing at the low speed as is required for safe landing of the aeroplane. These actuators operate in unison in either direction as desired by the operator and they may station the wing in any position of its small degree of axial rotation relative to the fuselage, but it is contemplated principally to be used for the purpose of locating the wing in the angle of incidence for high lift capacity or low lift capacity according to the speed. The fuselage in its forward end has one or more engines 21 which operate propellers 28. It is to be noted here that the wing structure may be borne upon the fuselage or may bear the fuselage either by means of the guides alone or by means of the spur gears alone but it is preferred that both means be provided and that they operate each to insure proper carriage of the plane by the wing and vice versa and so as to insure against accident by failure of any part. It is to be noted also that the curved shapes of the two side frames may be a part of the longitudinal form of the fuselage or borne by it separately from it or that the fuselage may be a boat hull and the curved shapes carried by it to support the wing in substantially the same manner and for the same purpose, variability of wing incidence relative to the fuselage or hull. The switch means 26 provides for reversing the direction of flow of the current of battery 26a in the shunt field coils of the motors 25 and the switch means 26b provides for opening or closing the circuit through battery 26a.

Referring now to the modified form of my device shown in Figure 4 this form is in general as to the operating features substantially similar to that of the first form described with regard to the two rectangular forms and the operating actuators therefor and the guides fixed respectively on the rectangular forms and on the fuselage side frames. But the two rectangular forms of the wing structure have extending sidewisely therefrom on each side of the fuselage, attached to the rectangular forms upper spars 29a and 29b and lower spars 30a and 30b. The upper spars support the upper wing and the lower spars support the lower wing of the structure, but all of these wings upper and lower (four) are attached to the rectangular frames and they move rotationally with the two rectangular frames as the latter are swung in their small degree of rotation relative to their horizontal axis of rotation to secure the differing degree of incidence of the wing structure.

While I have shown an electrical means for varying the incidence I contemplate that the actuators may have any form as manual actuation or hydraulic, that is the motors may be hydraulic motors or they may be small pneumatic motors such as are used in small machine tools or the wing structure may be varied in its incidence by cooperating pistons and cylinders actuated by fluid, liquid or gaseous under pressure.

While I have shown particular devices and combinations of devices in the illustration of my invention I contemplate that other detailed devices and combinations of devices may be used in the realization of my invention without departing from the spirit and contemplation thereof.

While I have shown a particular form of the mounting of the wing or wings upon the central wing bearing section and while I have shown a particular form of the mounting of the wing bearing section upon the longitudinal body of the aeroplane, and a particular form of the control means for varying the rotational position of the wing bearing section relatively, I contemplate that there may be any form of such mounting of the wings upon the wing bearing central section and that there may be any form of the L t h HERUNHU I IUO mounting of the wing bearing section rotatively or oscillably upon the structure fixed to the aeroplane longitudinal body, and that there may be any form of means for the movement of the wing bearing section with its attached wings upon the structure upon which it is mounted. That is any means may be utilized for the carriage of a wing bearing structure so that it as a whole may have slight rotation or oscillation upon the structure to which it is related whether this structure be an aeroplane fuselage of the usual form, or a. hull shaped longitudinal body, or whether this structure be any aeroplane structure. The motive power of the aeroplane may be borne by the fuselage or by the wing structure or by both, although I have shown only the motive power plane mounted in the forward end of the fuselage.

While I have shown particular devices and combinations of devices in the illustration of my invention I contemplate that other detailed devices and combinations of devices may be used in the realization of my invention without departing from the spirit and contemplation of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In an aeroplane, a longitudinal structure bearing control aerofoils, a. wing bearing structure incorporated in the longitudinal structure and forming an arcuate bearing guide in the upper part of the wing bearing structure and an arcuate bearing guide in the lower part of the wing bearing structure, a wing structure bearing wing surfaces and having integrally formed intermediately in the wing structure an expanded frame vertically and horizontally sized transversely of the longitudinal structure to approximate the transverse section of the longitudinal structure, and means for partial rotation of the Wing structure on the wing bearing structure to vary the angle of incidence.

2. In an aeroplane, a longitudinal structure bearing control aerofoils, a wing bearing structure incorporated in the longitudinal structure, and forming an arcuate bearing guide in the upper part of the wing bearing structure and an arcuate bearing guide in the lower part of the wing bearing structure, a wing spar structure bearing wing surfaces and having integrally formed intermediately in the wing spar structure an expanded frame vertically and horizontally sized transversely of the wing bearing structure to approximate the transverse section of the wing bearing structure, and means for partial rotation of the wing spar structure on the Wing bearing structure to vary the angle of incidence.

3. In an aeroplane, a longitudinal fuselage structure bearing control aerofoils, a wing bearing structure incorporated in the longitudinal structure and forming an arcuate bearing guide in the upper part of the wing bearing structure and an arcuate bearing guide in the lower part of the wing bearing structure, a wing structure bearing wing surfaces and having integrally formed intermediately in the wing structure an expanded frame vertically and horizontally sized transversely of the longitudinal fuselage structure to approximate the transverse section of the longitudinal fuselage structure, and means for partial rotation of the wing structure on the wing bearing structure to vary the angle of incidence.

4. In an aeroplane, a longitudinal fuselage structure bearing control aerofoils, a wing bearing structure incorporated in the longitudinal structure and forming an arcuate bearing guide in the upper part of the wing bearing structure and an arcuate bearing guide in the lower part of the wing bearing structure, a wing spar structure bearing wing surfaces and having integrally formed intermediately in the wing spar structure an expanded frame vertically and horizontally sized transversely of the longitudinal fuselage structure to approximate the transverse section of the longitudinal fuselage structure, and means for partial rotation of the wing spar structure on the wing bearing structure to vary the angle of incidence.

ADOLPHE C. PETERSON. 

